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Love's Second Chance: Tales of Lords and Ladies #1
Forgotten & Remembered: The Duke's Late Wife
Alternate cover edition of ASIN: B016V0WUXC
Another alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
BONUS: 2nd epilogue included!
A grieving widower. A strong lady. And a little girl who needs them both.
After losing his wife in an accident, GRAHAM ASTOR, DUKE OF KENSINGTON, decides that love is not worth the risk of having his heart broken all over again. Even his little daughter he keeps at a distance, afraid to hurt her with the darkness that now lives in his heart. Since he is unable to be the father she deserves, he vows to find her a mother who will heal her little heart.
At a garden party, Graham spots a young woman with a shy smile tending lovingly to her little cousins… and he knows his duty.
As the black sheep of her family, ROSABEL LANDER has no illusions about love. After her parents’ deaths, her aunt and uncle reluctantly took her in, demanding nothing short of complete obedience. Unable to live down her past, Rosabel only wishes for one thing: freedom.
However, before she dares to take the first step toward an independent future, a cold-hearted stranger asks for her hand in marriage… and as the obedient niece, Rosabel cannot refuse.
Will Rosabel find love after all? Or will the memory of Graham's late wife keep them both from finding happiness?
Another alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
BONUS: 2nd epilogue included!
A grieving widower. A strong lady. And a little girl who needs them both.
After losing his wife in an accident, GRAHAM ASTOR, DUKE OF KENSINGTON, decides that love is not worth the risk of having his heart broken all over again. Even his little daughter he keeps at a distance, afraid to hurt her with the darkness that now lives in his heart. Since he is unable to be the father she deserves, he vows to find her a mother who will heal her little heart.
At a garden party, Graham spots a young woman with a shy smile tending lovingly to her little cousins… and he knows his duty.
As the black sheep of her family, ROSABEL LANDER has no illusions about love. After her parents’ deaths, her aunt and uncle reluctantly took her in, demanding nothing short of complete obedience. Unable to live down her past, Rosabel only wishes for one thing: freedom.
However, before she dares to take the first step toward an independent future, a cold-hearted stranger asks for her hand in marriage… and as the obedient niece, Rosabel cannot refuse.
Will Rosabel find love after all? Or will the memory of Graham's late wife keep them both from finding happiness?
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2015
4259 people are currently reading
3742 people want to read
About the author
Bree Wolf
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Excited for my new series? The Flames of Winter Series:
An epic love story that spans across an entire series. Ensure that you have a good cup of tea, something to nibble on and perhaps a box of tissues at hand before you dive into this slow-burn Regency romance full of enchanting moments between Sarah and Keir, the little wisp and the highlander.
Excited for my new series? The Flames of Winter Series:
An epic love story that spans across an entire series. Ensure that you have a good cup of tea, something to nibble on and perhaps a box of tissues at hand before you dive into this slow-burn Regency romance full of enchanting moments between Sarah and Keir, the little wisp and the highlander.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 583 reviews
March 31, 2016
3.5 Stars
It's been a while since I've read Historical romance and I'm so glad to have read this book. It makes me miss my very early reading days when all I've ever devoured were romance books where dukes and duchesses were being highlighted as characters. I enjoyed most parts of Forgotten & Remembered: The Duke's Late Wife. It has a very original and emotionally-driven storyline that absolutely pulled my heartstrings!
This story is set in the 18th century in England and it talks about Graham Astor, Duke of Kensington, who became devastated when his wife Leonora died, leaving him and their little daughter Georgiana behind. He could not find it in his heart to move on and fall in love with any other woman because his love for Leonora was deep. When he met Rosabel at a party a year later, he saw her as a 'potential' to become a good mother to Georgina, which forced him to propose a marriage to her despite the fact that it wasn't because of love. Rosabel, a young and beautiful woman with a kind heart, has always been a woman who follows her uncle's orders without a question that's why when her uncle told her to accept the Duke's proposal, she willingly accepted it, not knowing for sure what life awaited her once she become the Duchess of Kensington.
The book started out so good it basically drew me in. There was something about the author's writing style that captivated me. Perhaps it's the vibrancy of her words and the wonderfully described settings and characters that made me immediately embrace it. I loved how Graham was described as someone grumpy and a man of very few words as well as of how Rosabel came out to be a shy and a soft-hearted woman who has a way with kids. I also loved that the story remarkably ran in a good pacing.
However, I wished Rosabel's character was well-developed here. All throughout the story, I found her lacking when it comes to confidence. She was always so insecure and unsure of herself, always being bothered by how Leonora had been a good wife, a mother, and a duchess. There were also some scenes here that were kind of redundant.
As for the romance, it was developed naturally. The main characters did not fall in love instantly which was so good! I loved how Graham and Rosabel's attraction towards each other slowly grew and how Graham wasn't able to discover Rosabel's inner and outer beauty right away.
The side characters were all amazing and with unique traits, especially Edmond Dunsworth (Graham's brother-in-law), Helen (Leonora's mother), and Georgiana. There were scenes shared by Rosabel and Georgina that made me teary-eyed because they were just simply touching and adorable.
The ending left a wonderful feeling to my heart. It was sweet! It also brought a promising story for Edmond. I'm looking forward to reading his story in the future, as well! Overall, it's a wonderfully written historical romance book. If you love this genre like I do, then I recommend you to check out this book!
(A copy of this book was provided by the author, Bree Wolf, in exchange for a honest review.)
It's been a while since I've read Historical romance and I'm so glad to have read this book. It makes me miss my very early reading days when all I've ever devoured were romance books where dukes and duchesses were being highlighted as characters. I enjoyed most parts of Forgotten & Remembered: The Duke's Late Wife. It has a very original and emotionally-driven storyline that absolutely pulled my heartstrings!
This story is set in the 18th century in England and it talks about Graham Astor, Duke of Kensington, who became devastated when his wife Leonora died, leaving him and their little daughter Georgiana behind. He could not find it in his heart to move on and fall in love with any other woman because his love for Leonora was deep. When he met Rosabel at a party a year later, he saw her as a 'potential' to become a good mother to Georgina, which forced him to propose a marriage to her despite the fact that it wasn't because of love. Rosabel, a young and beautiful woman with a kind heart, has always been a woman who follows her uncle's orders without a question that's why when her uncle told her to accept the Duke's proposal, she willingly accepted it, not knowing for sure what life awaited her once she become the Duchess of Kensington.
The book started out so good it basically drew me in. There was something about the author's writing style that captivated me. Perhaps it's the vibrancy of her words and the wonderfully described settings and characters that made me immediately embrace it. I loved how Graham was described as someone grumpy and a man of very few words as well as of how Rosabel came out to be a shy and a soft-hearted woman who has a way with kids. I also loved that the story remarkably ran in a good pacing.
However, I wished Rosabel's character was well-developed here. All throughout the story, I found her lacking when it comes to confidence. She was always so insecure and unsure of herself, always being bothered by how Leonora had been a good wife, a mother, and a duchess. There were also some scenes here that were kind of redundant.
As for the romance, it was developed naturally. The main characters did not fall in love instantly which was so good! I loved how Graham and Rosabel's attraction towards each other slowly grew and how Graham wasn't able to discover Rosabel's inner and outer beauty right away.
"Because the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew her to be the one woman who could make his life complete."
The side characters were all amazing and with unique traits, especially Edmond Dunsworth (Graham's brother-in-law), Helen (Leonora's mother), and Georgiana. There were scenes shared by Rosabel and Georgina that made me teary-eyed because they were just simply touching and adorable.
The ending left a wonderful feeling to my heart. It was sweet! It also brought a promising story for Edmond. I'm looking forward to reading his story in the future, as well! Overall, it's a wonderfully written historical romance book. If you love this genre like I do, then I recommend you to check out this book!
(A copy of this book was provided by the author, Bree Wolf, in exchange for a honest review.)
August 15, 2017
Graham the self pitying coward and Rosabel, oh yeah... and Leonora his dead wife.... AND her ghost.
Rosabel's life is tainted by her mother's (now deceased) marriage. Then one day, a duke with cold eyes obtains her uncle's permission to marry her. Nobody ever thought she would even marry. His reasons are entirely selfish and he sees her NOT as a person, but as a servant, who happens to be his wife. He doesn't even 'allow' her to meet him til the actual ceremony. Graham just wants a mother for his daughter(?). His first wife is a mysteriously oppressive cloud over their pseudo marriage. A mystery that Rosabel is determined to solve.
I was loving the set up and looking forward to Graham opening his eyes to new love... But, the story is sorely lacking in humour. Graham behaves with little logic, like a wounded cub. He avoids her and his daughter as much as he can, and when he can't he sometimes falls into crazed interludes where he mistakes Rosabel for his first wife.
Honestly, if I was Rosabel I would have armed myself.
All this because
Will Graham find his balls and grow up?... It seems to be up to Rosabel to be the adult.
I could not believe in their 'romance' for the simple reason that he NEVER ONCE called her by her name or even thought it. He mentions his first wife's name plenty of times but these little indications of thinking of another intimately are forever missing from his relationship with Rosabel. Does he even know her name?? And this despite the story moving back and forth between his POV and Rosabel's.
As you can tell, I did not enjoy the story, but I grudgingly gave three stars because the prose was good, and maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea...
Rosabel's life is tainted by her mother's (now deceased) marriage. Then one day, a duke with cold eyes obtains her uncle's permission to marry her. Nobody ever thought she would even marry. His reasons are entirely selfish and he sees her NOT as a person, but as a servant, who happens to be his wife. He doesn't even 'allow' her to meet him til the actual ceremony. Graham just wants a mother for his daughter(?). His first wife is a mysteriously oppressive cloud over their pseudo marriage. A mystery that Rosabel is determined to solve.
I was loving the set up and looking forward to Graham opening his eyes to new love... But, the story is sorely lacking in humour. Graham behaves with little logic, like a wounded cub. He avoids her and his daughter as much as he can, and when he can't he sometimes falls into crazed interludes where he mistakes Rosabel for his first wife.
Honestly, if I was Rosabel I would have armed myself.
All this because
Will Graham find his balls and grow up?... It seems to be up to Rosabel to be the adult.
I could not believe in their 'romance' for the simple reason that he NEVER ONCE called her by her name or even thought it. He mentions his first wife's name plenty of times but these little indications of thinking of another intimately are forever missing from his relationship with Rosabel. Does he even know her name?? And this despite the story moving back and forth between his POV and Rosabel's.
As you can tell, I did not enjoy the story, but I grudgingly gave three stars because the prose was good, and maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea...
November 1, 2017
I hated this book so much. Hated it! I would leave it a one star, but it was overall well written, and I hate to denigrate a book when I just don't care for the choices the author made.
For starters, the book starts off with a brother and sister racing on horses. The girl is pretty spunky and wild at heart and dies promptly. Okay. That was a bummer. Shaking my head I go the rest of the story.
This left a bad taste in my mouth, and I couldn't figure out why until I started the review. Sending a little girl off to a man she has never known as her father and could never acknowledge was just too cold. Plus the H and h never gelled.
For starters, the book starts off with a brother and sister racing on horses. The girl is pretty spunky and wild at heart and dies promptly. Okay. That was a bummer. Shaking my head I go the rest of the story.
This left a bad taste in my mouth, and I couldn't figure out why until I started the review. Sending a little girl off to a man she has never known as her father and could never acknowledge was just too cold. Plus the H and h never gelled.
March 30, 2016
This book held so many emotions. The hero has been married before and lost his wife in a riding accident. Graham Astor who is the Duke of Kinsington was leftto mourn with his daughter Georgiana.
After much prompting Graham decides to marry in order to have a mother for his child. Graham grieves the loss of his wife so deeply that he refuses to acknowledge his new wife with even the most basic conversation.
Rosabel does not expect to be loved after she finds out about his tragic loss, but she finds that she wants more than to just exists in this home with his dead wife's memories.
This story has so many facets that I really was caught up with all the personalities. It is a sadly sweet story with love as the thread that holds it all together.
I truly loved this story. This is one of my most favorite books. I love to open it up and read it over again. Bree Wolf can really bring characters to life in the most beautiful way.
After much prompting Graham decides to marry in order to have a mother for his child. Graham grieves the loss of his wife so deeply that he refuses to acknowledge his new wife with even the most basic conversation.
Rosabel does not expect to be loved after she finds out about his tragic loss, but she finds that she wants more than to just exists in this home with his dead wife's memories.
This story has so many facets that I really was caught up with all the personalities. It is a sadly sweet story with love as the thread that holds it all together.
I truly loved this story. This is one of my most favorite books. I love to open it up and read it over again. Bree Wolf can really bring characters to life in the most beautiful way.
May 17, 2021
This was like reading the life of two cowards. Two brave cowards to be sure, but cowards nonetheless. So much suffering and angst. And often running away from feelings and hurt, but hurting everyone involved all the more.
I just can't get over how much cowardice is in this book. And how long we have to wait for the hero to make a move. Agggggh.
This is a clean story if that is something that is important to you.
2.5⭐
I just can't get over how much cowardice is in this book. And how long we have to wait for the hero to make a move. Agggggh.
This is a clean story if that is something that is important to you.
2.5⭐
April 10, 2025
What the actual hell?! I'm so over this! 83% and 265 pages in and I'm throwing in the towel. I just can't force myself to continue absorbing this bullshit story any longer.
You know what the worst part is? The writer is actually talented. Composition and "voice" of this work is very captivating, but it's the actual story that's being told that's flat out horse shit.
As you can see, this is probably going to be more of a rant/rage review and with that comes spoilers...so be warned.
Or don't.
At this point, I don't even care because you will NOT be missing out on anything with this one.
This was marketed as a romance. HOWEVER, this was NOT a romance. It focused more so on the FMC embracing her motherly instincts for the child in this book. I'm not saying that's a bad thing or something that shouldn't be written about. I'm not even saying that it's a topic that's not interesting. Hell, I'm a single mother of two girls and I'm a momma bear of all momma bears, so I can totally relate. But if you're going to market a book as a romance, then it should primarily focus on the development of the relationship of the two MC's. And it didn't.
It was advertised that they "met" and spoke to each other for the first time at the altar--which is true-- but what they don't tell you is that the MMC sends her away to an estate to raise his daughter right after the wedding and does not join her in her travels. They were not even at the same home, under the same roof until around 115 pages into the book. And even then, they barely interacted with one another. I cannot fathom how the FMC supposedly fell in love with the MMC. I can see where she would pity him, but not form an emotional attachment to him. The author worked more on developing the relationship between the FMC and the MMC's ex brother-in-law. I can totally see where she could fall in love with him. But her loving the MMC is 100% unbelievable.
Which brings me to the HUGEST flaw of this entire book. The MMC sucks ass.
Majorly.
He's probably the worst "hero" I've ever read. He's, quite frankly, pathetic-- whining all the time about his failed attempt to get his lost love of his life to actually love him while he had the chance. Doesn't want to be around his daughter. Then-- once the cat's out the bag that the little girl isn't biologically his (which of course the little girl has no idea about)-- he actually intends on giving her, a 6 year old little girl who's also recently lost her mother, to her biological father that she's never met nor has an emotional attachment to whatsoever. The ONLY thing that prevents him from doing so too, is that the man refuses to take her even though he clearly wishes he could, but even he knows it's not the best thing for her.
I'm over this book. And in case you couldn't tell, I do NOT recommend.
2 stars since technique is good, but content is awful.
You know what the worst part is? The writer is actually talented. Composition and "voice" of this work is very captivating, but it's the actual story that's being told that's flat out horse shit.
As you can see, this is probably going to be more of a rant/rage review and with that comes spoilers...so be warned.
Or don't.
At this point, I don't even care because you will NOT be missing out on anything with this one.
This was marketed as a romance. HOWEVER, this was NOT a romance. It focused more so on the FMC embracing her motherly instincts for the child in this book. I'm not saying that's a bad thing or something that shouldn't be written about. I'm not even saying that it's a topic that's not interesting. Hell, I'm a single mother of two girls and I'm a momma bear of all momma bears, so I can totally relate. But if you're going to market a book as a romance, then it should primarily focus on the development of the relationship of the two MC's. And it didn't.
It was advertised that they "met" and spoke to each other for the first time at the altar--which is true-- but what they don't tell you is that the MMC sends her away to an estate to raise his daughter right after the wedding and does not join her in her travels. They were not even at the same home, under the same roof until around 115 pages into the book. And even then, they barely interacted with one another. I cannot fathom how the FMC supposedly fell in love with the MMC. I can see where she would pity him, but not form an emotional attachment to him. The author worked more on developing the relationship between the FMC and the MMC's ex brother-in-law. I can totally see where she could fall in love with him. But her loving the MMC is 100% unbelievable.
Which brings me to the HUGEST flaw of this entire book. The MMC sucks ass.
Majorly.
He's probably the worst "hero" I've ever read. He's, quite frankly, pathetic-- whining all the time about his failed attempt to get his lost love of his life to actually love him while he had the chance. Doesn't want to be around his daughter. Then-- once the cat's out the bag that the little girl isn't biologically his (which of course the little girl has no idea about)-- he actually intends on giving her, a 6 year old little girl who's also recently lost her mother, to her biological father that she's never met nor has an emotional attachment to whatsoever. The ONLY thing that prevents him from doing so too, is that the man refuses to take her even though he clearly wishes he could, but even he knows it's not the best thing for her.
I'm over this book. And in case you couldn't tell, I do NOT recommend.
2 stars since technique is good, but content is awful.
August 28, 2021
2 🥱🥱🥱 Stars
I’m in a second-chance, second-best sort of mood, and came across this on an online discussion. I found it on KU, and decided to give it a shot. On paper it looks AMAZING, a broody widowed H still hung up on his dead wife… the naive h unaware that she’s to be the nanny not the wife…Yum… It’s not awful, the writing is pretty solid…it’s just a snoozer for an angst-addict like me.
Graham Astor, Duke of Kensington needs a wife to take care of his daughter. He was widowed three years earlier, and is not looking for attachments or love. Rosabel Lander is an orphan living with her uncle , and has limited suitor options.
Bottom Line- This one missed the mark for me. Graham felt more wimpy than tortured alpha, and Rosabel didn’t really love him, so she wasn’t crying in her cornflakes. The biggest drama came from her butting heads with the nanny, and I thought Edmund (bro of dead wife) was the only one with a personality. I needed more… more emotion… more conflict… more feelings… more going on…more of pretty much everything.
I’m in a second-chance, second-best sort of mood, and came across this on an online discussion. I found it on KU, and decided to give it a shot. On paper it looks AMAZING, a broody widowed H still hung up on his dead wife… the naive h unaware that she’s to be the nanny not the wife…Yum… It’s not awful, the writing is pretty solid…it’s just a snoozer for an angst-addict like me.
Graham Astor, Duke of Kensington needs a wife to take care of his daughter. He was widowed three years earlier, and is not looking for attachments or love. Rosabel Lander is an orphan living with her uncle , and has limited suitor options.
Bottom Line- This one missed the mark for me. Graham felt more wimpy than tortured alpha, and Rosabel didn’t really love him, so she wasn’t crying in her cornflakes. The biggest drama came from her butting heads with the nanny, and I thought Edmund (bro of dead wife) was the only one with a personality. I needed more… more emotion… more conflict… more feelings… more going on…more of pretty much everything.
May 14, 2017
Oh, what can I say? I loved it! Yeah, that sure isn't a surprise considering that I wrote it!
Well, here is how this book came to be:
In many stories you find the dead first wife, dearly remembered but ultimately irrelevant for the story. In a way that always made me sad because after all, she too was the protagonist in her own story. A story without a happy ending, but with dreams crushed and love lost. And a part of me felt like she deserved to be heard and allowed to tell her own story.
At the same time, I didn't want to write a depressing book full of sadness and tears. I wanted it to be hopeful and inspiring. Something that would honor the dead, and yet allow the survivors to walk on into their future.
Judge for yourself if I did a good job.
If you're interested, join my mailing list and get a FREE copy of 'Forgotten & Remembered - The Duke's Late Wife'.
Well, here is how this book came to be:
In many stories you find the dead first wife, dearly remembered but ultimately irrelevant for the story. In a way that always made me sad because after all, she too was the protagonist in her own story. A story without a happy ending, but with dreams crushed and love lost. And a part of me felt like she deserved to be heard and allowed to tell her own story.
At the same time, I didn't want to write a depressing book full of sadness and tears. I wanted it to be hopeful and inspiring. Something that would honor the dead, and yet allow the survivors to walk on into their future.
Judge for yourself if I did a good job.
If you're interested, join my mailing list and get a FREE copy of 'Forgotten & Remembered - The Duke's Late Wife'.
April 22, 2020
Worst Hero Ever!
January 6, 2018
I'm not really sure why I finished this book considering that I had issues with it from the get go. The audiobook narration was engaging and I can only conclude that this kept me motivated to finish. Quite frankly, having finished the book I'm left with a complete lack of understanding for how Rosabel and Graham apparently fell in love. The majority of the book kept these two principle characters separated and when they did interact nothing meaningful was communicated between them. Feelings just seemed to appear out of no where and there was very little evidence of how those feelings developed between the two characters. Simply put: this was not a style of romance that appealed to me at all. am looking for meat to the story than a former wife haunting a current relationship and a heroine that simply seems to good to be true.
July 6, 2018
England, 1802
I had to sleep on this one and I'm still not sure what I want to rate it. This was my first book by Ms. Wolf, I have been wanting to try her books for a long time now and I'm glad I finally did. Overall, I did like this and it definitely kept me turning the pages, but I didn't love it. I did feel it was a little wordy in parts and would have tweaked things a bit.
I have mixed feelings about Rosabel, overall I liked her character and did like to see her growth as the story progressed. She learns to stand up for herself and Georgiana. I thought she was a little quick to forgive at times and was a little too understanding maybe? As for Graham... I just wasn't a big fan. He never quite won me over and he made some really dumb decisions and while I wanted him to get out of his depression, I just found him to be very selfish and pretty mean at times. I wasn't sure how these two actually fell in love, I think maybe her feelings grew out of pity and the few time he showed her some kindness, but most of the time he was pretty rude to her. They were apart so much, it was just hard to believe their feelings would have realistically changed under the circumstances. Which brings me back to her being a little too understanding.
At times this felt almost like a gothic novel and was more on the serious side. I did like how everything wrapped up and will definitely continue on with the series.
Content
Romance: Pretty clean, kissing and fade to black intimacy
Language: None
Violence: None
Religious: None
Series: Love's Second Chance, Book One
Source: Amazon
I had to sleep on this one and I'm still not sure what I want to rate it. This was my first book by Ms. Wolf, I have been wanting to try her books for a long time now and I'm glad I finally did. Overall, I did like this and it definitely kept me turning the pages, but I didn't love it. I did feel it was a little wordy in parts and would have tweaked things a bit.
I have mixed feelings about Rosabel, overall I liked her character and did like to see her growth as the story progressed. She learns to stand up for herself and Georgiana. I thought she was a little quick to forgive at times and was a little too understanding maybe? As for Graham... I just wasn't a big fan. He never quite won me over and he made some really dumb decisions and while I wanted him to get out of his depression, I just found him to be very selfish and pretty mean at times. I wasn't sure how these two actually fell in love, I think maybe her feelings grew out of pity and the few time he showed her some kindness, but most of the time he was pretty rude to her. They were apart so much, it was just hard to believe their feelings would have realistically changed under the circumstances. Which brings me back to her being a little too understanding.
At times this felt almost like a gothic novel and was more on the serious side. I did like how everything wrapped up and will definitely continue on with the series.
Content
Romance: Pretty clean, kissing and fade to black intimacy
Language: None
Violence: None
Religious: None
Series: Love's Second Chance, Book One
Source: Amazon
April 13, 2017
This is the beginning of a series and was free on Amazon, I was hooked when it was an arranged marriage story and so are most in the series. The author does warn that these two are hurting and broken people so I knew this book would not be a quick light read, and it was not. It had a lot of drama and sadness but the ending made it all worth it. I thought I would get upset with how long this lasted but it fit with all they had been threw and adding the bit of mystery was a good way to leave bread crumbs. There were some editing issues here and there but over all good writing. This book had some sensuality, being married there is talk of sex but it is not too detailed. There is some swoony kisses for sure:} On the pg13 side. I will try another by this author.
December 4, 2021
Angsty but I got fed up. Cleaner than anything I’ve ever read, they were married for more than a year before he politely asked if he could could come to her bed.
June 9, 2019
4.5 stars ⭐️.
After a month long break- in which I decided not to read any book but still ended up re-reading old ones- this was my comeback book...And what a treat it was!
This is a slow burn book where hero a widower with young child, marries heroine only for his daughter. She came to know he had a daughter after their marriage. They truly were total strangers.
Heroine was this unwanted niece who didn’t know how to say ‘no’. Her uncle and aunt was cruel to her.
And SHE outshined the plot, the hero and everything else. Her growth from this obedient, shy, insecure, sweet young girl to strong, confident, capable Duchess was outstanding. It didn’t happen overnight was rather a slow process with various obstacles that I enjoyed. I loved how she became a mother for hero’s child and in turn how the girl gave her all the love and support she never got before. Their bond was amazing.
What kept me going was the suspense surrounding hero’s first wife and their marriage. It was done very well.
Recommended.
After a month long break- in which I decided not to read any book but still ended up re-reading old ones- this was my comeback book...And what a treat it was!
This is a slow burn book where hero a widower with young child, marries heroine only for his daughter. She came to know he had a daughter after their marriage. They truly were total strangers.
Heroine was this unwanted niece who didn’t know how to say ‘no’. Her uncle and aunt was cruel to her.
And SHE outshined the plot, the hero and everything else. Her growth from this obedient, shy, insecure, sweet young girl to strong, confident, capable Duchess was outstanding. It didn’t happen overnight was rather a slow process with various obstacles that I enjoyed. I loved how she became a mother for hero’s child and in turn how the girl gave her all the love and support she never got before. Their bond was amazing.
What kept me going was the suspense surrounding hero’s first wife and their marriage. It was done very well.
Recommended.
April 22, 2022
Two and a Half Stars.
The storytelling was decent enough, but the story was tortuously slow getting to the angsty stuff, and this one definitely had some boring moments. It took me forever to finally get to the ending. Let's just say I'm not putting this one on my re-read shelf.
June 25, 2017
I received this ebook free from the author, so a great big thank you for her generosity.
2.5 stars, but as always, I've rounded up.
I'll start with what I liked without giving away any major spoilers.
I liked the premise of the story. A few hundred years ago, this scenario would have been a possibility since widowers (and widows) often remarried fairly quickly when there were children to be looked after.
I liked Rosabel's character for the most part. I also liked how the author did not put a modern girl in a historical romance. Rosabel acted and sounded like a girl from the time she was supposed to be from. I also liked that for once the female MC was actually a gentle girl. There are too few female MCs these days which are gentle as the gentleness in women is not fashionable any more.
I liked the fact that the 'intimate' scene was kept private to the characters rather than the reader being subjugated to purple prose or porn. Bodice rippers and sex does not equal romance. Read any Jane Austen and you'll get the picture.
Unfortunately there were some gaping issues with the writing style as well as the historical understanding which became more apparent as the novel went on.
The author used several modern terms (and I cringe to say it, Americanisms) which simply were wrong in the context of early 19th C England. The examples most glaring were:
1. Georgiana calls Rosabel 'Mommy' several times. Mommy is not a term used in modern Britain for the female parent, let alone in times of the Regency. Mother, Mama or Ma'am would have been used by all upper and middle class children, the working classes might have shortened this to Ma, Mam or Mum (depending on local accent).
2. The use of the term 'For sure', this is a modern Americanism. The equivalent term should have been 'indeed' or 'to be sure', depending on the context of need.
3. Graham was described as having a melt down not only by the author as the narrator, but also by Rosabel in a moment of deep POV. I've read many 19th C novels and not one of them describes someone's loss of temper control as having a melt down.
4. Georgiana at some point was munching on some cookies. Cookies in Britain are called biscuits. Although cookies are known and available in the UK now, they wouldn't have been back then.
5. The Prince of Wales uses the term 'deal' when making an agreement with Georgiana, meaning 'agreed'. Again, this is an American term which simply would not have been used.
Other problems with the writing style included the over use of the word again. At least every page had two uses of it. As a reader it became boring when the same situation was happening again and then the narrator was telling us it was happening again. Also, over use of the word 'avoid' or 'avoiding' and the characters being described doing this to one another. Surely the author could have come up with a more creative way than just telling the reader that Graham was avoiding Rosabel (again!)? And I think that leads to perhaps the biggest problem with the writing style: the author told us, rather than showed us for the greater part of the novel. Don't get me wrong, telling is needed, but showing is more interesting to read.
The author relied too much on twinkling and sparkling eyes, and cheeks flushing or draining of colour to indicate feelings. Seriously, everyone's eyes twinkled or sparkled to the point where I began to wonder if they all had eye infections. Constructive note to author: go to pinterest and put a search on body language cheats (or something like that), and do some research on other physical cues of feelings.
Ok, my last area of criticism (and believe me, I hate being critical of someone's work), is the lack of, or perhaps shallow understanding of the social norms and context in the time which the story was set.
1. At the beginning a man is described as Baron (Something or Other), and then addressed as such by another character. In the etiquette of addressing lords, one did not address them directly in speech as Baron Something of Other (or Viscount Bloggs, or Earl Smith, or Marquess Jones, or Duke Williams). When directly addressing a Lord of the realm (Baron being the lowest), one said Lord Something or Other. One might introduce a Lord by his title, and then thereafter not refer to his title (the same for their wives). This is an area which is largely lost to the British because there are so few times when we the commoners need to address a titled person directly and formally, and it is an area where Americans really show their lack of knowledge when they try to tackle it without proper research. Even Jane Austen got muddled on this in the way Elizabeth Bennett sometimes addressed Lady C, but that might have also been to show a lack of understanding on Elizabeth's side.
2. The issue of divorce. Rosabel at some point during deep POV thinks of the worst case scenario of what Graham might do "Would he divorce me?". Graham also throws divorce out the window because it would do Rosabel harm. The author seemed to have her characters think of divorce as if it was an actual option for them to pursue in their unhappy marriage. It wasn't. In a nutshell (for a very long and complicated context), the only reason a man could divorce his wife (other way around not available at all), was if she was guilty of adultery. The adultery had to be proved in open civil court (called criminal conversation) and an act of parliament had to be passed to grant the divorce. it then had to be taken to the ecclesiastical courts and gone through again. Divorce forever ruined the woman. it also tainted the husband and his family (and even a future wife), certainly any children involved, as well as the man who was complicit in the adultery. It also cost somewhere in the region of £1000 in old pounds, which in today's money would have been about £60K. Only the very very rich could afford to divorce, but even then, they just found a way to get on with their lives as separate as possible from the hated spouse.
3. Illegitimate children and 'natural' children. Any child born under the wing of a marriage was legal issue of the husband (they were called natural children). I'm sure there were many thousands of women who married quickly to pass off a baby as another man's, but if he didn't realise that the child wasn't his prior to the marriage, then legally the baby was his issue and there was NOTHING he could do about it. AT ALL. Hence the emphasis on the bloody show after the wedding night for a virgin bride, and the social rules that newly made widows didn't remarry within 3-6 months of being widowed. If a man married a woman and she duped him into thinking a baby born was his and he later realised that it wasn't, there was nothing he could do. If a man married a woman and knew she was pregnant before hand with someone else's baby, then the baby born would be legally his natural child (and if he did this, you'd think a man this kind would not care about that either). I'm saying all this because the author somehow had Graham thinking that he could take Georgiana to her real (biological) father several years after she was born after he married her mother. Even if Graham was having a slip of mental faculties, it just couldn't happen. Especially given who Georgiana's father turns out to be. Rare exceptions to this rule where the unfortunate child was given back to the real father in the case of a hushed up love affair with someone's wife, that child was not a welcome arrival to the father's family. It was treated with contempt and disgust, was never acknowledged into the family with a family surname, and were only taken so that the evidence of adultery could be well hidden. The scenario where Graham was taking Georgiana away to be happier with her real family just simply couldn't be.
Over all it seems as if I've been horribly critical. I have been critical, but not intending to be horrible about it. The characters had genuine personality traits of the era and I loved that, that is what has kept it a 2.5 stars. Unfortunately, the writing has let this one down. The problem with historical fiction is that the author has to be a better historian than the readers, getting history accurate requires a natural love of that particular era, and a very deep understanding. I see the author has written several books, I will probably next go for one of her more recent ones in the hope that this writing style has matured and she has spent more time researching the history and social nuances.
2.5 stars, but as always, I've rounded up.
I'll start with what I liked without giving away any major spoilers.
I liked the premise of the story. A few hundred years ago, this scenario would have been a possibility since widowers (and widows) often remarried fairly quickly when there were children to be looked after.
I liked Rosabel's character for the most part. I also liked how the author did not put a modern girl in a historical romance. Rosabel acted and sounded like a girl from the time she was supposed to be from. I also liked that for once the female MC was actually a gentle girl. There are too few female MCs these days which are gentle as the gentleness in women is not fashionable any more.
I liked the fact that the 'intimate' scene was kept private to the characters rather than the reader being subjugated to purple prose or porn. Bodice rippers and sex does not equal romance. Read any Jane Austen and you'll get the picture.
Unfortunately there were some gaping issues with the writing style as well as the historical understanding which became more apparent as the novel went on.
The author used several modern terms (and I cringe to say it, Americanisms) which simply were wrong in the context of early 19th C England. The examples most glaring were:
1. Georgiana calls Rosabel 'Mommy' several times. Mommy is not a term used in modern Britain for the female parent, let alone in times of the Regency. Mother, Mama or Ma'am would have been used by all upper and middle class children, the working classes might have shortened this to Ma, Mam or Mum (depending on local accent).
2. The use of the term 'For sure', this is a modern Americanism. The equivalent term should have been 'indeed' or 'to be sure', depending on the context of need.
3. Graham was described as having a melt down not only by the author as the narrator, but also by Rosabel in a moment of deep POV. I've read many 19th C novels and not one of them describes someone's loss of temper control as having a melt down.
4. Georgiana at some point was munching on some cookies. Cookies in Britain are called biscuits. Although cookies are known and available in the UK now, they wouldn't have been back then.
5. The Prince of Wales uses the term 'deal' when making an agreement with Georgiana, meaning 'agreed'. Again, this is an American term which simply would not have been used.
Other problems with the writing style included the over use of the word again. At least every page had two uses of it. As a reader it became boring when the same situation was happening again and then the narrator was telling us it was happening again. Also, over use of the word 'avoid' or 'avoiding' and the characters being described doing this to one another. Surely the author could have come up with a more creative way than just telling the reader that Graham was avoiding Rosabel (again!)? And I think that leads to perhaps the biggest problem with the writing style: the author told us, rather than showed us for the greater part of the novel. Don't get me wrong, telling is needed, but showing is more interesting to read.
The author relied too much on twinkling and sparkling eyes, and cheeks flushing or draining of colour to indicate feelings. Seriously, everyone's eyes twinkled or sparkled to the point where I began to wonder if they all had eye infections. Constructive note to author: go to pinterest and put a search on body language cheats (or something like that), and do some research on other physical cues of feelings.
Ok, my last area of criticism (and believe me, I hate being critical of someone's work), is the lack of, or perhaps shallow understanding of the social norms and context in the time which the story was set.
1. At the beginning a man is described as Baron (Something or Other), and then addressed as such by another character. In the etiquette of addressing lords, one did not address them directly in speech as Baron Something of Other (or Viscount Bloggs, or Earl Smith, or Marquess Jones, or Duke Williams). When directly addressing a Lord of the realm (Baron being the lowest), one said Lord Something or Other. One might introduce a Lord by his title, and then thereafter not refer to his title (the same for their wives). This is an area which is largely lost to the British because there are so few times when we the commoners need to address a titled person directly and formally, and it is an area where Americans really show their lack of knowledge when they try to tackle it without proper research. Even Jane Austen got muddled on this in the way Elizabeth Bennett sometimes addressed Lady C, but that might have also been to show a lack of understanding on Elizabeth's side.
2. The issue of divorce. Rosabel at some point during deep POV thinks of the worst case scenario of what Graham might do "Would he divorce me?". Graham also throws divorce out the window because it would do Rosabel harm. The author seemed to have her characters think of divorce as if it was an actual option for them to pursue in their unhappy marriage. It wasn't. In a nutshell (for a very long and complicated context), the only reason a man could divorce his wife (other way around not available at all), was if she was guilty of adultery. The adultery had to be proved in open civil court (called criminal conversation) and an act of parliament had to be passed to grant the divorce. it then had to be taken to the ecclesiastical courts and gone through again. Divorce forever ruined the woman. it also tainted the husband and his family (and even a future wife), certainly any children involved, as well as the man who was complicit in the adultery. It also cost somewhere in the region of £1000 in old pounds, which in today's money would have been about £60K. Only the very very rich could afford to divorce, but even then, they just found a way to get on with their lives as separate as possible from the hated spouse.
3. Illegitimate children and 'natural' children. Any child born under the wing of a marriage was legal issue of the husband (they were called natural children). I'm sure there were many thousands of women who married quickly to pass off a baby as another man's, but if he didn't realise that the child wasn't his prior to the marriage, then legally the baby was his issue and there was NOTHING he could do about it. AT ALL. Hence the emphasis on the bloody show after the wedding night for a virgin bride, and the social rules that newly made widows didn't remarry within 3-6 months of being widowed. If a man married a woman and she duped him into thinking a baby born was his and he later realised that it wasn't, there was nothing he could do. If a man married a woman and knew she was pregnant before hand with someone else's baby, then the baby born would be legally his natural child (and if he did this, you'd think a man this kind would not care about that either). I'm saying all this because the author somehow had Graham thinking that he could take Georgiana to her real (biological) father several years after she was born after he married her mother. Even if Graham was having a slip of mental faculties, it just couldn't happen. Especially given who Georgiana's father turns out to be. Rare exceptions to this rule where the unfortunate child was given back to the real father in the case of a hushed up love affair with someone's wife, that child was not a welcome arrival to the father's family. It was treated with contempt and disgust, was never acknowledged into the family with a family surname, and were only taken so that the evidence of adultery could be well hidden. The scenario where Graham was taking Georgiana away to be happier with her real family just simply couldn't be.
Over all it seems as if I've been horribly critical. I have been critical, but not intending to be horrible about it. The characters had genuine personality traits of the era and I loved that, that is what has kept it a 2.5 stars. Unfortunately, the writing has let this one down. The problem with historical fiction is that the author has to be a better historian than the readers, getting history accurate requires a natural love of that particular era, and a very deep understanding. I see the author has written several books, I will probably next go for one of her more recent ones in the hope that this writing style has matured and she has spent more time researching the history and social nuances.
December 14, 2021
This one was boring and very clean. I don’t mind clean if there’s a good story, but this one dragged for me. I love this trope, but I thought the H was spineless. Yawn.
August 28, 2020
A very enjoyable read by Bree Wolf. I have been meaning to read her again as an author and this story didn't disappoint. Although the story dragged a bit in places, I thought it well written to bring out well developed characters in the story.
Both characters in the book have their share of pain and heartache and it was nice to see them work through and overcome those obstacles to an HEA.
Both characters in the book have their share of pain and heartache and it was nice to see them work through and overcome those obstacles to an HEA.
March 3, 2020
Very cute historical romance, nice quick read. Love the depth that the characters are showing and that Bree Wolf uses in her writing. I like how finding a happy ever after isn't always an easy road and how opening up to love someone else is not always easy either.
May 16, 2017
This is an entertaining and fun read! Wolf's style of writing is engaging and pulls you into the story. There are elements of Rebecca evident and I really enjoyed the twists and turns.
Available for free via: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/qSdDf
Available for free via: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/qSdDf
October 12, 2017
Definitely a slow paced romance....and I feel like I'm being generous by even calling it a romance. It felt more like reading the life story of two people that had been completely miserable their whole lives with a touch of love thrown in on the last 10 pages. I still liked it and wonder if the rest of the series gets better. I'd be willing to give it one more shot.
April 14, 2018
Sorry...It's just that Rosabel's constant shivers and infinite trembling have grated mightily on my nerves. And it seems I'm out of second chances for anybody today. How Ironic.
Reading it has felt to me like looking through dirty, stained glasses, everything has felt obscure and vague. And Believe me when I say I know exactly how that literally feels.
But that cover!!!!
Reading it has felt to me like looking through dirty, stained glasses, everything has felt obscure and vague. And Believe me when I say I know exactly how that literally feels.
But that cover!!!!
May 6, 2017
I liked the dead woman most. The h/H, not so much.....
November 26, 2024
“My love for you though is a love of the present and of the future.”
Read
January 4, 2019I'm not really sure what I would rate this book. I really enjoyed the beginning and I usually love the marriage of convenience trope because we get to see two people who don't really know each other fall in love, but we didn't get that with this book. Rosabel is a woman who has experienced loss and is uniquely equipped to care for Georgiana, a duke's daughter who has lost her mother. Graham, Duke of Kensington, is mourning his wife and has cut himself off from his daughter. Rosabel wants to heal the rift between them, and there is a small mystery as to why Graham won't see his daughter, but there wasn't a whole lot beyond that to keep me turning pages. Graham is awful and mean to Rosabel for nearly the entire book. It's only in the last few chapters that we see any feelings growing between them that feel realistic, but Graham still wasn't very relatable for me and the romance fell flat.
So, since I did like the writing style overall, and the story had potential, I will definitely try another book by Ms. Wolf, but this one didn't hit the emotional notes for me.
So, since I did like the writing style overall, and the story had potential, I will definitely try another book by Ms. Wolf, but this one didn't hit the emotional notes for me.
January 5, 2019
My first read of 2019, almost became my first DNF of 2019. And for those of you who have been following my reviews since I began, you know how rare it is for me to DNF anything.
This story does not paint a good picture for the rest of the series. In fact, after reading this one, as much as I liked Edmond, I am doubtful that I would read another story in this series. Much less another story by this author.
Harsh? Yes. But let me explain why.
This book was like a carousel. It had its ups and down, but it was slow and repetitive. Dreadfully so.
Graham lost his first wife, that he loved despite certain "flaws". When she dies, he decides to marry Rosabel without ever speaking to her. Nope. Merely seeing her play with her own young relations is enough to convince him that she will be the perfect mother for his child. And then he spends 99.9% of the book
1. Running away
2. Wallowing in self-pity
3. Acting like a spoiled child
4. Mad at Rosabel for doing what's best for his child
He's quite frankly a cruel bully, even going so far as to threaten to separate Rosabel and his daughter because he's unhappy. One minute he's happy around them and the next he's making them miserable. Or he makes progress, and he runs away in the night. On and on it goes for forty some odd chapters when really this book could have been condensed, heavily edited and probably much better for it.
With such heavy repetition and characters as unlikable as this, do not be surprised if I never mention this author again.
This story does not paint a good picture for the rest of the series. In fact, after reading this one, as much as I liked Edmond, I am doubtful that I would read another story in this series. Much less another story by this author.
Harsh? Yes. But let me explain why.
This book was like a carousel. It had its ups and down, but it was slow and repetitive. Dreadfully so.
Graham lost his first wife, that he loved despite certain "flaws". When she dies, he decides to marry Rosabel without ever speaking to her. Nope. Merely seeing her play with her own young relations is enough to convince him that she will be the perfect mother for his child. And then he spends 99.9% of the book
1. Running away
2. Wallowing in self-pity
3. Acting like a spoiled child
4. Mad at Rosabel for doing what's best for his child
He's quite frankly a cruel bully, even going so far as to threaten to separate Rosabel and his daughter because he's unhappy. One minute he's happy around them and the next he's making them miserable. Or he makes progress, and he runs away in the night. On and on it goes for forty some odd chapters when really this book could have been condensed, heavily edited and probably much better for it.
With such heavy repetition and characters as unlikable as this, do not be surprised if I never mention this author again.
March 10, 2021
An Emotional Mess😵
ADULT Regency Era Romance💕 with A Marriage👰 of Convenience.
Both of the characters in this book are emotional messes. The are estranged from each other through most of this way too long book.
😵 The only innocent in the book is the child,👩 the daughter of the Duke's late first wife. Through no fault of her own, the little girl is used as a pawn throughout.
The Duke character is a coward and unlikable, who won't own up to his feelings and responsibilities. He wants to put his new wife👰 into a box and tuck her away somewhere where she will be out of his way, out of his thoughts. He married her only to provide a mother for The little girl, then can't stand it when she and The girl become a true mother and daughter.
The woman is also a coward, who won't tell her husband how she feels and she blurts out the stupidest and worst ever things to say when she does get a chance to talk with the Duke, who mostly avoids her. I found her outbursts about his late wife hurtful , ignorant, and unnecessary.
I loved the emotions the book brought out, but also found it to be way overly long, tedious, and wordy. I wanted to slap👋 some sense into both character's, especially the Duke.
The subject matter is for ADULT readers.
ADULT Regency Era Romance💕 with A Marriage👰 of Convenience.
Both of the characters in this book are emotional messes. The are estranged from each other through most of this way too long book.
😵 The only innocent in the book is the child,👩 the daughter of the Duke's late first wife. Through no fault of her own, the little girl is used as a pawn throughout.
The Duke character is a coward and unlikable, who won't own up to his feelings and responsibilities. He wants to put his new wife👰 into a box and tuck her away somewhere where she will be out of his way, out of his thoughts. He married her only to provide a mother for The little girl, then can't stand it when she and The girl become a true mother and daughter.
The woman is also a coward, who won't tell her husband how she feels and she blurts out the stupidest and worst ever things to say when she does get a chance to talk with the Duke, who mostly avoids her. I found her outbursts about his late wife hurtful , ignorant, and unnecessary.
I loved the emotions the book brought out, but also found it to be way overly long, tedious, and wordy. I wanted to slap👋 some sense into both character's, especially the Duke.
The subject matter is for ADULT readers.
July 15, 2019
This was my first novel by Ms. Wolf. The writing was fine.
However, the content was irritating.
I don't enjoy books with profanity, no matter the appropriateness of the time period or not. This book was very conservatively sprinkled with brief profanity. That took a star away.
The banter between Graham and Rosabel was infuriating. They never seemed to be on the same page and were always battling "ghosts." Minus a star.
The sexual tension was prevalent in several spots throughout the book. Even one time where Graham was battling a "ghost" only to have Rosabel practically begging him not to force himself upon her, seeing how he wasn't in his right mind. Minus a star.
I don't generally give books one star. So, I'll stop here. While this book wasn't for me, if you enjoy romance novels and are not as much as a stickler for content as I am, this may very well be the book for you!
Ms. Wolf's book covers are lovely and certainly inticing!
I'm not sure if I will continue the series, even though I did receive a prequel for free.
However, the content was irritating.
I don't enjoy books with profanity, no matter the appropriateness of the time period or not. This book was very conservatively sprinkled with brief profanity. That took a star away.
The banter between Graham and Rosabel was infuriating. They never seemed to be on the same page and were always battling "ghosts." Minus a star.
The sexual tension was prevalent in several spots throughout the book. Even one time where Graham was battling a "ghost" only to have Rosabel practically begging him not to force himself upon her, seeing how he wasn't in his right mind. Minus a star.
I don't generally give books one star. So, I'll stop here. While this book wasn't for me, if you enjoy romance novels and are not as much as a stickler for content as I am, this may very well be the book for you!
Ms. Wolf's book covers are lovely and certainly inticing!
I'm not sure if I will continue the series, even though I did receive a prequel for free.
January 17, 2017
Rosabel has been living with her aunt & uncle since her father died. She loves her cousins but never feels her aunt or uncle care about having her with them. Just doing their duty so when the Duke of Kensington asks for her hand in marriage after having barely spoken to her they are happy to say "yes" to the marriage. They are barely married when he sends her to his estate to care for his daughter. His first wife has died and he needs a mother for the child. He leaves them on their own and they become very attached but Georgieanna misses her father and Rosabel must do something to help the brooding duke and his daughter a chance to be together. Many twists and turns. Can they become a loving family? Read ot see.
February 5, 2018
A wonderful story! A bit like Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. There is the young woman, raised by her, uncaring, aunt and uncle. There is the grumpy, rich man, wanting her to raise his daughter. And there is the secret in the attic.
But here, there also is the best friend/cousin and the best friend/brother in law. And the grandmother. Lovely characters, all three.
And the young woman doesn't become a governess to the young girl, but her mother. From day one. And that gives her a strenght she didn't know she had.
And the three lonely people slowly become a family...
But here, there also is the best friend/cousin and the best friend/brother in law. And the grandmother. Lovely characters, all three.
And the young woman doesn't become a governess to the young girl, but her mother. From day one. And that gives her a strenght she didn't know she had.
And the three lonely people slowly become a family...
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